‘We then will have to be importing beef from all other parts of the world’

“The people who are supporting, proposing, and voting for the Climate Action Bill have a lot to answer for because they really have not thought this through.”

Those are the words of independent TD Michael Healy-Rae, who has issued a stark warning in a video to highlight the implications the aforementioned bill’s implementation would have on daily life.

The independent TD confirmed that the Rural Independent Group will propose amendments to the bill to “fight for common sense to prevail”.

Healy-Rae stated he is not a climate change denier and acknowledged that Ireland will have to make changes to many aspects of life.

Importing peat briquettes

In a video, he referred to the importation of peat briquettes and the impact the bill could have on the tourism industry, agriculture, and life for upcoming generations.

“You are finding it very difficult to get bales of briquettes for sale in Ireland at the moment because they have shut down Bord na Mona,” he said.

“But we are selling bales of briquettes from Germany, and we are also bringing in peat for the horticultural industry and selling that around the country; that does not make sense.”

“Another thing that does not make sense is that generations of people have worked so hard to build up our much-wanted and needed tourism industry.”

He said the government is “looking to tax beyond belief the cost of flying into this country and indeed, flying out of it”.

50% reduction in national herd

Highlighting agricultural-related measures, he asked: “Do farmers of Ireland realise that what is being proposed in this bill could result in a over 50% reduction in our national herd? That does not make sense.”

“We then will have to be importing beef from all other parts of the world. They can continue to produce, but we are going to have to stop.”

“We will finish up with farmyards being empty after all the work that went into building up our family farms and seeing it all being destroyed and wiped out.”

“To make roads and concrete, you have to crush stone. How do they propose to do that without the methods and machinery we have at present?”

“Also, how are we going to operate battery-operated vehicles? How are we going to function and improve the day-to-day things, like filling potholes and breaking rock?” he questioned.

‘Taxed out of existence’

“To young people, I am worried about the future generations, but I am also worried about you right now in this generation.”

Concluding, he said he does not want the current generation to be “taxed out of existence in the way you live, work and play”.

“I am very fearful for that. We all want what is best for this planet, but we want it to be at an affordable cost to all of us,” Michael Healy-Rae concluded.